After 'very hard year,' Michigan charities regroup for Giving Tuesday

It’s been a tough year for charitable nonprofits, both in Michigan and nationally, due to economic hardships and federal funding cuts
That’s resulting in an uptick of use but a decline of donations— something nonprofits are drawing attention to this Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday began in 2012 as a way for charitable nonprofits to solicit donations during a time of year associated with big spending

LANSING — It’s been a tough year for charitable nonprofits in Michigan and other states due to a mixture of federal actions and economic uncertainty, but Chad Audi is feeling a mixture of gratitude and anxiety.

He’s thankful that his organization, Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, can keep providing services to area residents experiencing homelessness, addiction or poverty. But he’s nonetheless kept up at night with the knowledge that demand is never-ending — and growing.

“It has been a very hard year,” said Audi, who’s served as the group’s president and CEO for the last 24 years. “Donations are down and the requests for services are much higher than we’ve ever seen.”

When Audi first joined Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries nearly 30 years ago, he said the nonprofit served around 500 to 600 people a day from two to three locations throughout the city. Now, that demand has skyrocketed to around 2,500 people a day, with the Mission serving around 4,500 meals a day from 21 different locations — and even still that’s not enough.

It’s why this Giving Tuesday — an annual global movement aimed at increasing charitable donations of time, money or service to nonprofits — Audi’s group is one of thousands of nonprofits in Michigan trying to draw attention to the moment in the hopes community engagement can help.

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Roughly 58,700 nonprofits are active and operating in Michigan, just under 47,000 of which residents can make a tax-deductible donation to according to a November 2025 report from ProPublica, a nonprofit national news organization.

“Nonprofits are a year-round safety net for Michigan communities, 365, all four seasons,” said Tammy Pitts, chief communications officer for the Michigan Nonprofit Association, which provides training and resources for nonprofits throughout the state.

One of those groups is the Food Bank Council of Michigan, which Executive Director Phil Knight says serves as a “trade association” for the seven nonprofit Feeding America food banks in Michigan.

Those banks – which have seen anywhere from a 30% to 50% increase in use year over year, according to Knight – serve food pantries in all of Michigan’s 83 counties.

It’s why associations like his this time of year are looking for the three T’s: treasure, time and talent — and possibly even in that order.

“All of us can do something,” he said, adding that while individual donations may not on their own go on to solve food insecurity or homelessness in Michigan, “it means that we will make a difference for someone, and that’s important.”

Giving back on Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday started in 2012 as a sort of counter movement to the typical shopping associated with consumer-driven holidays like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

For nonprofits, it’s a way to raise awareness of their work and remind communities of the value of donations.

Pitts, with the Michigan Nonprofit Association, says the date is needed now potentially more than ever as nonprofits continue to weather not just standard economic hardships but increased scrutiny at the federal level.

In Michigan, that’s included federal cuts to nonprofits — or groups that fund nonprofits, such as AmeriCorps — providing violence prevention programs, child literacy supports, senior assistance initiatives and more.

Last month, food assistance payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were delayed in Michigan amid the longest-ever federal government shutdown, prompting long lines at some food banks and other charitable organizations.

The state responded by sending an extra $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan.

Food bank car line — While money is always a good choice when it comes to donating to charity, Food Bank Council of Michigan CEO Phil Knight says donations of time and “talent” – such as passing donations out at food drives – can be equally as helpful for charitable nonprofits in need. (Photo courtesy of Food Bank Council of Michigan)

Roughly one-third of nonprofits nationally have experienced either a work stoppage, funding freeze or total loss of federal funding since January 2025 according to an October 2025 report from the Urban Institute. A Washington, DC-based think tank, the group surveyed 133,612 charitable nonprofit organizations both in 2024 and again in 2025.

“Giving Tuesday helps create a powerful sense of collective action, showing that when people come together, communities are stronger,” Pitts said, noting the date also helps nonprofits “reach new supporters, new donors, and will help them build momentum heading into 2026.”

For the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, a statewide nonprofit focused on connecting homeless Michiganders with emergency housing and service programs, that means getting the word out about the need for donations at local Continuums of Care. They’re programs meant to help Michiganders get into permanent supportive housing.

While individual donations may not fix the root causes of Michigan’s rising homeless population — an ongoing housing shortage — Coalition Public Policy Director Nick Cook said every bit counts.

“Anything to help make the holidays a little bit better, a little bit brighter — especially for the families with kids,” he said. “They need people to step up and just give those children a chance to have a little bit of a normal holiday season.”

Time, talent, treasure

When it comes to giving, Knight with the Food Bank Council of Michigan says most nonprofits — including his own — know how to stretch a dollar, meaning monetary donations are never a bad choice.

But people often forget they can donate their time, he said, and volunteering to staff a nonprofit’s board can be a great way to do that.

“None of these nonprofits run by themselves,” Knight said.

For Audi, Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries president and CEO, that notion is especially true.

Unlike Knight, his organization has not yet been impacted by decisions at the federal level. But due to the increasingly tough economic times, both nationally and in Michigan, community donations are getting harder to come by, Audi said, especially in the $100 to $300 range.

“We need staff support and we can’t afford it anymore,” he added. “So we need people who, if they have time – even if they give us three, four hours a week – that would be great.”

Absent that, Audi said his organization specifically needed soaps – both of the hand and detergent variety – and janitorial supplies to address the sanitary needs of its homeless shelter, which routinely hits its 700-person capacity nightly.

What homeless shelters or related organizations need often varies by area, said Nick Cook, the Coalition’s public policy director. In some places of the state, it’s coats. In others, it’s blankets, shoes or undergarments. Everywhere, money is always a good donation.

His advice? Reach out to your local shelter and ask.

“Those things mean the world to somebody that is experiencing homelessness,” Cook said.

How to donate

While donating on Giving Tuesday is admirable, the Michigan Department of Attorney General does caution discretion when choosing which nonprofits to support this holiday season.

Though uncommon, the state has experienced issues with charity fraud in recent years — including in 2021, when the state forced 10 organizations to dissolve after it was discovered the Michigan groups had named themselves after national organizations they had no affiliation with.

The department offers resources for spotting phony charities, however, including a database tracking whether a charity is in good standing with the state, tips on how to spot potentially fraudulent charities and a webpage educating on common fraud tactics, such as spoofing.

But Knight, head of the Food Bank Council of Michigan, and Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries’ Audi say another easy option is just to go to the source — the nonprofits themselves. Many of them list outright the services they’re in search of, or donated items they could use for communities in need.

“The worst mistake we make is when we choose to do nothing, because we only think we can do a little,” Knight added. “No matter how big it is, we can do something. All of us can do something.”

Some ways to help

Food Bank Council of Michigan:For volunteering inquiries, reach out to the Food Bank Council of Michigan on its website, FBCMich.org.
- To find your nearest Feeding America food bank, click here.
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries: To reach out for inquiries on volunteer opportunities, contact Kisha Woods at kwoods@drmm.org or call 313.993.4700 (ext.3930).
- To buy items directly from DRRM’s Amazon Wishlist in order to help meet immediate shelter needs, click here.
Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness: To donate directly to the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, click here.
- If homeless, find a shelter nearest to you by dialing 2-1-1